Ethical Hacking News
Trump has nominated Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, bringing her experience in cybersecurity and border control to the role. As she takes over, it's unclear how she will approach cybersecurity policy, particularly given the Trump administration's stated priorities for CISA.
Kristi Noem, a Republican Governor from South Dakota, has been nominated as the new Homeland Security Secretary by President-elect. Noem's approach to cybersecurity is state-led, which may not be ideal given the growing scale and sophistication of threats. The US National Security Agency has designated Dakota State University as a "Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations," under Noem's administration. Noem took a hard stance on TikTok posing a national security threat to Americans, banning it from state-owned devices in 2022. The future of cybersecurity policy under the new administration is uncertain, particularly regarding the role of CISA and election security.
Kristi Noem, a Republican Governor from South Dakota and a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been tapped by the President-elect to serve as the new Homeland Security Secretary. This nomination comes at a time when the US is facing increasing threats from cyberattacks, with Russian and Chinese hackers targeting critical infrastructure, and election security remaining a pressing concern.
As Governor, Noem supported information security initiatives at the state level but refused twice to accept millions of dollars in federal grants to support state and local governments' cybersecurity efforts. Her stance reflects her inclination towards states' rights and favoring state-led initiatives over federal oversight in cybersecurity. While this approach has its advantages, particularly in fostering localized solutions that are tailored to individual communities, a streamlined approach at the federal level is more critical than ever given the growing scale and sophistication of threats.
Noem's track record shows that she understands the importance of cybersecurity, particularly in local initiatives as seen in South Dakota. During her tenure as Governor, the state has added jobs and invested in university programs and research. Her website cites 4,000 jobs added in scientific and technical services over five years, and claims a 25 percent growth rate in the sector.
The US National Security Agency has designated Dakota State University as a "Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations," and Noem's administration is investing $90 million to expand the university's information security programs. This includes building a second cyber-research and development hub in Sioux Falls, which will further enhance South Dakota's cybersecurity capabilities.
Noem also took a hard stance on TikTok posing a national security threat to Americans, banning the video streaming app from state-owned devices in 2022. Her decision was driven by concerns over ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, and its broad data collection policies.
However, this position may be challenging for Noem to maintain under the new administration. Trump previously supported a TikTok ban but has since changed his stance, pledging to "save TikTok." The future of TikTok is uncertain, but it's likely that CISA will not fare as well under the incoming administration.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is one of the agencies where the Trump Administration is clear on its priorities. It wants to end any role in countering disinformation/misinformation and have the agency focus solely on protecting civilian government networks, public-private partnerships, and information sharing on emerging threats, and coordinating protection of the nation's critical infrastructure.
CISA Director Jen Easterly will step down from her position prior to Trump being sworn in. According to a CISA spokesperson, all appointees of the Biden Administration will vacate their positions by the time the new Administration takes office at noon on January 20.
One thing that experts expect is that Noem's enthusiasm for border security may extend to the digital domain. While cyberattacks pose a significant threat to critical infrastructure and national security, they are often seen as secondary concerns in comparison to topics involving borders, soldiers, and guns.
"Cyber remains a secondary concern to topics involving borders and soldiers and guns," said Rex Booth, CISO at SailPoint. "But the impact of a cyber attack on our power grids or water supply could exceed any domestic impact since the war of 1812, and any administration regardless of political party would be smart to pay attention."
As Noem takes over as DHS Secretary, it remains to be seen how she will approach cybersecurity policy, particularly in comparison to her predecessor. With the US facing increasing threats from cyberattacks, it is essential that the federal government prioritizes cybersecurity and works towards a more coordinated and effective response.
The future of CISA under the new administration is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the agency's focus on countering disinformation/misinformation and election security may be significantly reduced. Whether this shift will have a positive or negative impact on US national security remains to be seen.
Related Information:
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/11/23/trump_noem_homeland_security/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-taps-border-hawk-to-head-dhs-will-noems-enthusiasm-extend-to-digital-domain/ar-AA1uCVjA
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-to-know-kristi-noem-border-hawk-nominated-trump-lead-dhs
Published: Sat Nov 23 12:39:35 2024 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
